Train-controlling mechanism.



0. GIBSON.

TRAIN GONTROLLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APB. 5. 1 909.

l n at WITNESSES 0. GIBSON.

. TRAIN CONTROLLING MBGHANISM. APPLIGATION rum APR. 5.1909.

Patented Oct. 12, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET /N-l/ENTOR gine, which lever actuates a valve `in the airUNITED srATEsgrn-TENT onirica.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application led April 5, `19.09. SerialNo. 487,8'85.

cording to the best mode'I have so far de- 4vised for the practicalapplication of the principles. l, i'

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view, showing a lever connectedto the airbrake system of a train of cars and carried by the locomotive, and anobstruction placed in the path of movement of said level', to actthereon. Fig. 2 isa .view taken transversely of tworailautomatictraln-controlling devices for railroad tracks, illustratingthe device applied Ways .fOl IHIDHHZDg' the danger' 0f accil to a fourtrack road, an inner and an outer dents, due to trains running past setdanger track being illustrated, over which trains slgnals at `signaltowers or stations. pass in the Vsame direction. Fig. 3 is an e11- Manyaccidents are caused bythe failure 'larged view of a portion of thedevice. F ig. o an engineer on a moving train to observe 4 is an endview of Fig.y 3, and Fig. 5v isl a and heed vthe set danger` signals, ata tower view showing some parts in detail, not fully or station, duesometimes. to foggy weather, illustratedin other views. the presence'ofsmoke, or the inability of the The invention may be a engineer'to actand be governed by the set track, double track, or four track road,SlgnaL A' changes in location of some parts being The object of myinvention is to provide necessary,'lor perhaps duplicating of partsmeans, operated from the signal tower b may be found convenient in someinstances. the towerman, and in conjunction with block The constructionillustrated in Fig. 2 shows systems, for automatically stopping'a traintwo tracks of a four-track road equipped which has passed the signal setfor it, .by with the device. Fig.'l may illustrate any actuating a valvein the air brake system` one ofthe above enumerated roads. to relieve`pressure therein and apply the Referring to Fig. 1 a brakes of thelmovingv train. 'The mechan-y mot-ive is designated by the numeral l.This ism may be used as an lauxiliary with the locomotive is providedwith an air plpe 2 block system, or may be used in conjunction which isan extension from the air brake with and operated by switch-throwingmechtrain pipe and a valve 3, normally closed, 1s anism to warn theIengineer of a passing interposed in the extension. This valve 3 istrain of an open switch.- provided with a lever 4 and the lever may beThe invention consists essentially of an moved lto open the valve toreduce pressure abutment located at a desirable point, and in the trainpipe and apply the brakes, or movable from a convenient location, intothe opening of the' valve may operate a sigthepath of movement of alever on the ennal'in thecab of the locomotive, as will be understood.The valve and lever are so situated under the'engin'e as to be out oftheWay of obstructions, and the valve is operated only by 'contact with myspecially placed obstruct1on,'which in the drawings is illustrated asadisk 6 which is adapted to rotate eccentrically with relation to itssupporting shaft 7.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORLANDO GIizsoN, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Hollidaysburg, in the county of Blair and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTrain- Controlling Mechanisms, of which the following is aspecification. Y

My invention relates to improvements in pplied to a single brake system,to either apply `the brakes, or operate asignal on the engine. lVhen notinuse the abutment is turned down sothat passing trains may clear it.lVhen in operal tive position, if the obstruction is struck by anundesired element, or the obstruction I is ridden down by a trainpassing in the opposite direction, as on a single track road,

The shaft 7 is supported in bearing blocks a spring cushion -is providedto` take the 8 which blocks are held in suspension by force of the blowand return the obstruction l means of springs 9, the bolts l0 whichconto' operative position. l l nect thebearing blocks with base pieces1l In the accompanying drawings I have 'serving as guides for `thebearing pieces.

illustrated one example of the physical eln- The bolts are passedthrough perforations bodimcrtt of my invention constructedvacin flangesof the bearlng blocks and' the Patented oct. 12, i909. y

portion of a' locon cept trains may clear it.

v may be placed a bolt heads or nuts 12 hold the blocks down upon thesprings 9. The shaft -7 is thus supported in bearings whichare cushionedto receive the force of a shock limparted thereto by anu'ndesiredimpact.

The disk 6 is secured to the shaft 7 by means of a set screw 13, and theshaft may be rotated to move the disk in to or out of o erat-iveposition by means of lever arm 14 wiliich is secured on the souared end15 of the shaft. The arm link 16 which mayV what Iclaim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In combination with a train, atri controlled lever, means operated thereby or applying the airbrakes'of the train, a sha having spring buffers rotatably secured belowthe track, a wheel eccentrically mounted on the shaft, and means forrotating the shaft to move said cam wheel into position to contact withthe lever and to move it out of said contacting position. 2. Thecombination -in an appliance as de- 14 is' connected to a be a wire orpipe 'as ID OV- i l I usual, leading lto the signal tower and scribedofa hollow shaft suitably supported, able therefrom, and by this meansthe disk a contact piece thereon and means for r0- may be moved into orout of the path of tating said shaft,- with a second shaft eX- of thelever 4 on the locomotive.

movement In Fig. 2 a disk is shown raised into plosition to be struck bythe passing Alever 4, at the left, and at the right the vdisk is turneddown out of the path of movement of the lever 4. To provide for theequipmentv of two tracks of a four-track road, or each track of a doubletrack road, I employ a second rotatable member, which may convenientlybe a length of pipe as 17, through which the 4. The combination in anappliance as deshaft- 7 is passed, and these two elements scribed of ahollow shaft carrying an eccenare rotatable independent of each other.tric disk, a second shaft extending through The sleeve or pipe 17 isprovided with 'a said first shaft and. carrying a second eccendisk 6vand the pipe is journaled in beartric disk, bearing blocks for saidshafts, ings 8', identical with the bearin s 8,' ex.- means for rotatingthat the journal opening is arger to dlsks independently of accommodatethe sleeve 17. Levers 18, simii lar to levers 14, are connected tothesleeve 17, preferably by screw threads, asshown, and the levers 1Smay be moved to lrotate the sleeve 17 from the ltower las described.

The cam disks and their rotatable shafts suitable distance from thesignal tower, and the shafts preferably are passed under the rails ofthe tracks, as illustrated. As seen at the right in Fig. 2, the disk 6is turned down 'so that all passing I the disk at the left in saidfigure should accidentally be struck by a heavy, or unmovable, passingportion of the train, the disk would be ridden down carrying with it theshafts and their bearings, and the springs would act as cushions, toreceive'the impact of the blow, and return the disk to operativeposition'. `When the disk is struck by the comparatively light lever 4,said lever is turned, thus closing its valve, applyingthe brakes, oractuating a signal `as the case may be.

, Having thus fully described my invention,

tended through said hollow shaft carrying a second contact piece, andmeans for rotating said second shaft.

3. The combination in anv appliance as described of a hollow shaftcarrying a contact piece, la second shaft extending through the firstand carrying a contact piece, means for independently rotating saidshafts,vand separate flexible bearings for said shafts.

each other, and means disk, bearing blocks for said shafts, springsunder said blocks, bolts forming guide posts for said` bearings, andmeans for rotating the shafts independently of each other.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. in presence of two witnesses.

ORLANDO GIBSON.

Witnesses:

ORLANDo BRENNER, HOWARD Porn.

the shafts to move the the first shaft and carrying a second eccentricfor. receiving the impact on said disks from i

